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2018 FA Cup Final
The 2018 FA Cup Final was the final match of the 2017–18 FA Cup and the 137th final of the FA Cup, the world's oldest football cup competition. It was held at Wembley Stadium in London, England. It was played on 19 May 2018 between Manchester United and Chelsea. This final will be the second successive final for Chelsea following their defeat by Arsenal last year. If Chelsea win, they will qualify for the group stage of the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League, as Manchester United have already qualified for the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League via their league position. The winner will also earn the right to play 2017–18 Premier League champions Manchester City for the 2018 FA Community Shield. The teams have met twice before in the FA Cup Final, winning one each between them. The first was in 1994, which Manchester United won 4–0, and the most recent was in 2007, which Chelsea — then managed by current Manchester United boss José Mourinho — won 1–0 after extra time. On 24 April 2018, it was announced that Michael Oliver will officiate the match. It is notable for being the first Final to use the video assistant referee (VAR) system. As President of the Football Association, the Duke of Cambridge would normally attend the final, presenting the trophy to the winning captain at the conclusion of the game. In 2018 however, the final was scheduled for the same day as the wedding of the Duke's brother, for which the Duke was serving as Best Man. It was announced on 15 May 2018 that the trophy would be presented by Jackie Wilkins, the widow of former Manchester United and Chelsea player Ray Wilkins, who died in April 2018. Route to the final Chelsea In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first. Chelsea as a Premier League team entered in the third round of the FA Cup against Championship club Norwich City on 7 January at Carrow Road, which ended with a 0–0 draw. The replay was held 11 days later and was a 1–1 draw with goals from Michy Batshuayi in the 55th minute and Jamal Lewis in the 90th minute, going to extra time and then a penalty shootout that Chelsea won 5–3. In the fourth round, they met Premier League opposition Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge, and won 3–0 with two goals from Batshuayi and a one from |Marcos Alonso. In the fifth round, Chelsea faced another Championship team, Hull City, and won 4–0 with Willian (2), Pedro and Olivier Giroud scoring. In the quarter-finals, they visited the King Power Stadium to face Leicester City, where a goal for Chelsea from Álvaro Morata and a Leicester equaliser from Jamie Vardy took the game to extra time, in which substitute Pedro came off the bench and scored the winning goal to take Chelsea to the semi-finals at Wembley to face Southampton. In that match, goals from both strikers Giroud and Morata were enough to see off Southampton 2–0 to bring Chelsea back to the FA Cup Final for the second successive season. Chelsea are seeking their eighth FA Cup triumph. Manchester United In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first. Manchester United, also of the Premier League, entered in the third round and were drawn at home against Championship side Derby County and won 2–0 with goals from Jesse Lingard and Romelu Lukaku. In the next round, they were drawn against League Two club Yeovil Town at Huish Park and won 4–0 with goals from Marcus Rashford, Ander Herrera, Jesse Lingard and Lukaku. In the fifth round, Manchester United were drawn with fellow Premier League side Huddersfield Town away at Kirklees Stadium, and Lukaku scored both goals in a 2–0 win. In the quarter-finals, they played Premier League Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford, and progressed due to goals by Lukaku and Nemanja Matić. In the semi-final at Wembley Stadium against Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United reached their 20th final after coming from behind to win 2–1 with goals from Alexis Sánchez and Herrera. Manchester United are looking to match Arsenal's record of 13 FA Cup wins. Pre-match Tributes for former Chelsea and Manchester United midfielder Ray Wilkins, who died on 4 April, will be held before the match on the hoardings and the screens in the stadium, as well as a feature in the match programme. Wilkins won the FA Cup with both sides, scoring for United in the initial 1983 FA Cup Final tie, and winning it three times as assistant manager of Chelsea — in 2000, 2009 and 2010. The traditional performance of the hymn, "Abide with Me" will be performed by the choir of the Royal Air Force and 14 individual fans of 14 different clubs with a flypast by 3 RAF Typhoons. The national anthem, "God Save the Queen" will be performed by soprano Emily Haig who also performed it at the 2018 FA Women's Cup Final. Match officials The referee for this FA Cup final is 33 year-old Michael Oliver from Northumberland. It was announced on 24 April 2018. He previously officiated when both of these sides met last year in the quarter final where he sent off Ander Herrera. His assistants are Ian Hussin from Liverpool and Lee Bets from Norfolk. The fourth official is Lee Mason of Lancashire. The fifth official is Constantine Hatzidakis from Kent. For the first time in the final, the will be an Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Neil Swarbrick of Lancashire will be the Video Assistant referee and his assistant video assistant referee is Mick McDonough of Northumberland. Match Summary After 21 minutes, Chelsea's Eden Hazard entered Manchester United's penalty area, where he was fouled by their defender Phil Jones. Hazard took the penalty kick himself, sending it past United goalkeeper David de Gea for the only goal of the game. In the second half, Manchester United had more opportunities, forcing Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to make saves. Alexis Sánchez had a potential equaliser ruled out for offside after VAR confirmed the decision was correct and Paul Pogba missed a header late into the match. It was the first time that José Mourinho lost a cup final in charge of an English team, at the seventh attempt, and the first domestic cup won by Antonio Conte, who lost the 2012 Coppa Italia Final with Juventus and the 2017 FA Cup Final for Chelsea. BBC Sport correspondent Phil McNulty highlighted the performance of the Chelsea players Hazard, Courtois, N'Golo Kanté, Gary Cahill and Antonio Rüdiger, while criticising United trio Jones, Sánchez and Pogba. Details |time = 17:15 BST |team1 = Chelsea |score = 1–0 |report = Report |team2 = Manchester United |goals1 = |goals2 = Hazard |stadium = Wembley Stadium, London |attendance = 87,647 |referee = Michael Oliver (Northumberland) }} |valign="top"| |valign="top" width="50%"| |} External links *The FA Cup *BBC Report Category:2017–18 FA Cup Category:2017–18 in English football Category:Events at Wembley Stadium Category:FA Cup Finals